Method for reservation-less instant group conferencing

ABSTRACT

A conferencing method for providing reservation-less instant group conferencing. A subscriber dials in a conference code and a group code in his/her phone. The input signal is received in the switch serving the phone on sensing the conference code activates a trigger which results in communications with a conferencing system. The conference call is set up in a conferencing bridge and the phone of the subscriber is routed to the conferencing bridge. The conferencing system using group code obtains a group of phone numbers of participants from a database and calls each participant and connects each call participant to the conference call. Subscriber setting lists of participants and phone numbers in advance of the conference call with Internet access to the database.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention pertains to call conferencing and, inparticular, to reservation-less instant conferencing, as it relates tobusiness and consumer wireless and wireline telecommunication servicesubscribers.

[0003] 2. Statement of the Problem

[0004] A need exists for telephony carriers to provide simplifiedconferencing services to business and consumer telephone servicesubscribers. Practicality of the conferencing service for users isbecoming more dependent upon extreme ease of use through simple, easy toremember access methods that utilize conferencing automation to themaximum practical extent.

[0005] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,995,608; 6,181,786; and 6,330,321 owned by theassignee of the present invention, set forth a method and apparatus foron-demand teleconferencing. This represents a prior call conferencingapproach eliminating prior scheduling and operator interaction insetting up a conference call. This prior art approach uses, for example,the Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) out-of-band signaling to dynamicallyroute incoming conference calls to bridges in a conferencing systemhaving available resources. In operation, a subscriber to theconferencing service is given a telephone number for connecting to theconferencing system along with a system pass code and a maximumconference size at the time he or she signs up the service. In order tohave a conference, the subscriber distributes his or her accesstelephone number to the conference participants along with an accesscode and optional conference security (or PIN) code of the subscriber'schoosing. The processing of the conference call, billing, etc. ishandled at the conferencing system.

[0006] This mechanism is considered overly complex for application tousers in new markets such as mobile and consumer because of the need toremember these access telephone numbers, access codes, and PIN codes,and the need to distribute this information to other participants andplan the call in advance.

[0007] U.S. 2002/0091769, owned by the assignee of the present inventionand entitled “Conferencing Method” allows a subscriber to use theInternet to set up a conference call. The pending followingapplications, also owned by the assignee of the present invention,represent a simplified conferencing system and method for a subscriberwherein participants call into the subscriber's phone number: “LocalExchange Subscriber Line Conferencing”, Ser. No. 10/208,893 filed Jul.30, 2002 and “Local Exchange Subscriber Line Conferencing Method” filedJul. 30, 2002 as Ser. No. 10/208,503.

[0008] Current conferencing service available to users includesthree-way calling that is typically accessed by placing one party onhold by pressing a key on the mobile handset or using the flash hook ona landline phone, creating a call to a third party, then connecting thetwo calls together by pressing another key on the handset or by pressingthe flash hook once again. A need exists to extend the capabilities ofthis type of service through significant simplification of accessmechanism as well as through availability of greater than three calllegs simultaneously involved in a conference call event.

[0009] Current conferencing service available to mobile users alsoincludes the Direct Connect™ service offered by Nextel Communications.This service is accessed only while the user is in their home mobilenetwork coverage area by selecting a pre-defined group of other NextelDirect Connect users from the mobile handset address book and pressingthe “Push to Talk” or PTT button on a specialized handset. This featurecreates a two way radio service with the members of the group who caninstantly talk to other members of the group simply by pressing the PTTbutton on their handsets and speaking. This is a half duplex featurewhere only one person can speak at a time. A need exists to extend thecapabilities of this type of service through availability of full duplexsound capability, through the ability to access the service whileroaming outside of the user's home mobile network coverage area, throughthe ability to connect with users outside of the given wirelesscarrier's network, and through the extension of this feature outside ofthe mobile network and on any standard wireless or wireline telephone.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0010] The present invention solves the aforestated problem and meetsthe needs stated therein. The instant group calling of the presentinvention, from the perspective of the conferencing system, ischaracterized by reservation-less instant conferencing, as it relates tobusiness and consumer wireless and wireline telecommunicationsubscribers. From the perspective of the user, the service of thepresent invention is characterized by a simplified access method forconferencing services that takes advantage of telecommunication networkcapabilities to eliminate many of the current art complexities involvedwith accessing such service and by enhanced capabilities which overcomecurrent art limitations allowing conferencing in a full duplexenvironment with endpoints outside of a given carrier's network, whetherwireless or wireline.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 sets forth one embodiment of the telecommunication networkincorporating the conferencing service 10 of the present invention.

[0012]FIG. 2 sets forth the operation of the conferencing service 10 ofthe present invention in setting up an instant group call.

[0013]FIG. 3 sets forth the operation of the conferencing service 10 ofthe present invention in dialing out to participants of the instantgroup conference call.

[0014]FIG. 4 sets forth the operation of the conferencing service 10 ofthe present invention in participants joining the instant groupconference call.

[0015]FIG. 5 sets forth the operation of the conferencing service of thepresent invention in adding contact information to the database.

[0016]FIG. 6 sets forth one embodiment of the database of the presentinvention.

[0017]FIG. 7 sets forth one embodiment of the conferencing method of thepresent invention.

[0018]FIG. 8 sets forth one embodiment of the method for the subscriberto use the conferencing method of the present invention.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION

[0019] 1. Overview.

[0020] The conferencing service of the present invention enablesTelephony Carriers to provide simple conferencing to business andconsumer telephone service subscribers. The present invention, in oneembodiment, uses the conventional telephone “#” (pound) key to initiatea conference call and like other telephone pound services, conferencingis activated by selecting the “#” key followed by a unique set of keyentries. Other access methods that do not use a “#” key code sequencefor access represent additional embodiments of this present invention.These are conventionally referred to as dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF)signals. Any series of unique input signals from a phone of a subscribercan be used when the subscriber accesses the conference call.

[0021] The user enters the pound key or other access method (hereinafterreferred to as a “first string” or “conference code”) followed by aseries of digits which represent a group of people to whom the userwishes to call (hereinafter referred to as a “second string” or “groupcode”). Members of this group are then joined to the conference via adial-out from the conference.

[0022] Groups are created and defined in advance via any number ofpossible user interfaces including but not limited to a website, a WAPinterface, or speech recognition system. Group information is stored ina network based database which is accessed by the conferencing system.

[0023] As a result, no advance reservation for using the conferencingsystem is required and the subscriber can instantly commence theconference call at any time by dialing the conference code and the groupcode in his/her phone. The present invention is a method forreservation-less instant group conferencing.

[0024] 2. Operation.

[0025] a. System

[0026] In FIG. 1, the overview of the telecommunication networkincorporating the reservation-less instant group conferencing service ofthe present invention is set forth.

[0027] A subscriber 20 setting up the conference call is shown incommunication with a telephony switch 30 a via a phone 22. Likewise,additional participants 40 a-40 c to the conference call are shownconnected to other switches 30 c-30 e by phones 42 a-42 c. In FIG. 1,the additional participants 40 a-c are illustrated having access todifferent switches 30 c-e. Switch 30 c is in the same network 170 as thesubscriber's switch 30 a. Switch 30 d is within a different wirelesscarrier's network. Switch 30 e is within a different landline carrier'snetwork. It is to be expressly understood that each additionalparticipant 40 could be accessing a different switch 30 in differentparts of the world with different wireless or wireline carriers. It isalso to be expressly understood that each additional participant 40could be accessing the same switch 30 as each other and even the sameswitch as the subscriber 20. It is also to be expressly understood thatthe subscriber 20 can be accessing the switch 30 a through a wireless orwireline phone set 22, and that the present invention is not limited toany particular type of phone set 22. It is also to be expresslyunderstood that the additional participants 40 can be accessing theswitch 30 through a wireless or wireline phone set 42, and that thepresent invention is not limited to any particular type of phone set orother type of telecommunication access device.

[0028] The switches 30 a-c within the service providing carrier'snetwork 170 are connected to one another by a network 50 of telephonyequipment that could include various switches, routers, and otherequipment. The network 50 is conventionally connected to other carriernetworks and switches 30 d-e via the conventional Public SwitchedTelephone Network 60.

[0029] The network 50 shown in FIG. 1 has two separate communicationpaths. The first 52 is through the SS7 network 70 which communicateswith the Conference Allocation and Control System (CACS) 90 in theconferencing system 100. An example of a commercially available CACS 90is MOBILEMEETING from Voyant Technologies, Inc. The network 50 alsocommunicates 54 through switch 30 b with the conferencing bridges 80a-b. An example of a commercially available conferencing bridge 80 isthe INNOVOX media server also from Voyant Technologies, Inc. In FIG. 1,the conference bridges 80 are connected to the network 50 via a switch30 b. It is to be expressly understood that while FIG. 1 shows theconferencing bridges 80 connected to switch 30 b, the conference bridges80 could be connected to any switch in the carrier's network 170,including the switch 30 a servicing the subscriber 20 or the switch 30 cservicing an on-network participant 40 a.

[0030] The conferencing bridges 80 are connected to a data network 105which is also connected to the CACS 90. The CACS 90 in turn isadministered over a local area network 140 by an operator/administrator120.

[0031] CACS 90 acts as the conferencing resource manager and containsinformation about subscribers and/or subscriber profiles and availablebridge conferencing resources. The CACS 90 contains a database 130 thatstores all of the information about subscribers, including informationabout the subscriber's contacts such as names and phone numbers. TheCACS 90 also communicates with the Wireless Application Control Server(WACS) 110. An example of a commercially available WACS 110 is containedin MOBILEMEETING from Voyant Technologies, Inc. The WACS contains andmanages all of the user interfaces for the MobileMeeting product. In oneembodiment, this is done via the local area network 140. In another, theCACS 90 and WACS 110 are located on the same physical machine. The WACS110 as it relates to this invention contains the address book userinterface application that is used to populate the database 130 withcontact information such as names and phone numbers.

[0032] The subscriber 20 accesses the address book application using anInternet access device 160 such as but not limited to a personalcomputer, a mobile handheld computer or personal digital assistant (PDA)with internet access, a wireless phone with internet access, or othertelecommunication access device. The Internet access device 160 connectsto the WACS 110 via the public Internet 150. It is to be expresslyunderstood that this is only one embodiment of a method to populate thedatabase 130 with contact information. It is to be expressly understoodthat any other methods used to populate the database 130 would beadditional embodiments of this invention such as, but not limited to,called-in information, input information, etc.

[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1-5, ‘dynamic’ routing, using SS7 70, of aconference to a bridge 80 occurs and represents one embodiment. It is tobe expressly understood that many alternate embodiments under theteachings of this present invention could be implemented. Examples ofsuch embodiments include use of non-SS7 data communication mechanismsbetween the CACS 90 and switch 30 as well as use of signaling in thevoice channel between the conferencing system 10 and the switch 30.

[0034] b. Subscriber

[0035] The method of the present invention centers on the functions ofthe subscriber 20 which are detailed below. The term “user” is usedherein to mean “subscriber.”

[0036] The subscriber 20 has the retail relationship with the telephonycarrier 170. The subscriber receives telephony service from the carrier170 and has selected to receive the conferencing service of the presentinvention as an additional service such as call waiting, caller ID, ormobile internet from the carrier. In one embodiment, the subscriber“subscribes” by paying a fee to obtain the conferencing method of thepresent invention. In another embodiment, no fee is paid. The term“subscriber” is used, but is used in its broadest sense whether or not aseparate fee is paid.

[0037] The subscriber 20 interfaces, in one embodiment, with theinvention through a mobile handset 22. The conference is initiated bythe subscriber 20 entering a first string of input signals for theconference code followed by a second string of input signals for thegroup code. For example, ‘##’ (i.e., pushing the “pound” key twice) forthe conference code, followed by a unique digit or set of digits, forexample “05” for the group code. Any unique series of input signals fromthe mobile handset 22 such as a series of key inputs can be used. Thefirst string of input signals (i.e. the ‘##’ keystrokes in this example)identifies that the user is attempting to initiate a conference. Thesecond string of input signals is used to identify a group of phonenumbers which will be called to join the conference. The subscriber thenpresses the ‘send’ key on the mobile handset. A landline phone 22normally does not have a “send” key. At that time, the subscriber 20will be put into the conference and the phone numbers associated withthe selected group are dialed out from the conference.

[0038] Dialed parties' phones will ring and if the endpoint has thecapability to display the calling party's number (e.g. via a caller IDfunction), the calling party's number is displayed. When the phone isanswered, the dialed party is greeted with an Interactive Voice Response(IVR) message stating, for example: “You are being called to join ateleconference, please press 1 to join.” Optionally, the subscriber canchoose to have the system record a message from the subscriber prior todialing the dialed parties. This recorded message is then played to eachdialed party in place of the previous IVR statement. Dialed parties whodo not press 1 to join the call are disconnected by the conference.Dialed parties who press 1 are joined to the conference.

[0039] It is to be expressly understood that in the aforesaid, while awireless phone is used as an example of an endpoint for the subscriber,any other suitable device such as a landline phone or voice enabledmobile computing device could be utilized under the teachings of thepresent invention.

[0040] It is also to be expressly understood that the first string(conference code) in the aforesaid starts with the “pound” key as thepreferred key of use due to its conventionality in the telephoneindustry and understanding by the public, any other suitable functionkey signal, voice command, code input, or other stimulation mechanismcould be utilized under the teachings of the present invention. Asanother embodiment, a special key on a wireless telephone or icon on awireless phone or wireless computing device is activated to generate thefirst string signal series.

[0041] Routing of the calls to the conferencing bridge 80 is controlledby the switch and the CACS. When the subscriber enters the “##” keysequence (conference code) followed by the unique set of digits (groupcode) to initiate the conference in one embodiment of the invention, theswitch directs the subscriber via a Dialed Number Trigger (DNT) to thebridge.

[0042] The switch 30 a, utilizing SS7 70 or other signaling method,provides the Dialed Party Number (##05 for example) and the CallingParty Number or Automatic Number Identification (ANI) to the CACS 90.The Dialed Party Number includes the conference code and the group code.

[0043] The CACS 90 uses the ANI to identify and validate the subscriberagainst a database 130 of valid subscribers. The CACS 90 then uses theDialed Party Number to look up a group of phone numbers to be dialed bythe bridge.

[0044] The subscriber 20 creates groups and assigns digits to the groupsin advance of the conference via any number of possible user interfacesincluding but not limited to a website, a WAP interface, or speechrecognition system. Group information is stored in a network baseddatabase which is accessed by the conferencing system.

[0045] c. Initiating the Instant Group Call Conference

[0046] In FIG. 2, operation of the conferencing system of the presentinvention in setting up an instant group conference call is set forth.

[0047] The following “numbers” identify the sequence flow of oneembodiment which is illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 2. This is themethod of the present invention by which a subscriber 20 initiates aconference call.

[0048] 1. The subscriber 20 picks up the handset of the phone 22.

[0049] 2. The subscriber 20 inputs signals in phone 22 such as dialing(for example) ##05. The input signals comprise a first string(conference code) of “##” and a second string (group code) of “05.” Thefirst string informs the CO switch 30 a that the subscriber isrequesting an instant group conference call and the CO switch 30 aactivates a dialed number trigger (DNT).

[0050] 3. The local CO switch 30 a responds to the dialed number trigger(DNT) by sending a signaling message which communicates to the CACS 90that a subscriber 20 of the conferencing service is initiating aninstant group conference call. The subscriber's phone number is includedin the “Calling Number” parameter of the message. The number that thesubscriber dialed (“##05” in this example) is contained in the “CalledNumber” parameter of the message. In FIG. 2, one embodiment delivers itsmessage via the SS7 70 to CACS 90. In the SS7 environment, oneembodiment is a conventional ISUP message. Another embodiment is aconventional TCAP message.

[0051] 4. In one embodiment, the CACS 90 uses the Calling Numbercontained in the ISUP message to validate the subscriber 20 anddetermine the profile of the conference (which may include enabledconferencing features and maximum conference size). In anotherembodiment, the switch 30 a may perform all subscription validation andthe Calling Number may be used by the CACS 90 to determine conferenceprofile. In all embodiments, based on the conference profile, the CACS90 will determine which bridge 80 (if there are multiple bridges) shallhost the conference based on resource availability.

[0052] 5. Assuming that the caller is a valid subscriber, the CACS 90sends a signaling message through the SS7 network 70 to the switch 30 aincluding the network address of the bridge 80 (in this example, bridge80 a) that will host the conference.

[0053] 6. The CACS 90 notifies the bridge 80 a over the data network 105that will be hosting the conference that a conference is about tocommence, and instructs the bridge 80 a to allocate the ports requiredto host the conference based on the conference profile.

[0054] 7. Upon receipt of the signaling message sent in step 5, theswitch 30 a routes the call of the subscriber 20 to the conferencingbridge 80 a.

[0055] 8. The bridge 80 a notifies the CACS 90 that the conference isunderway.

[0056] 9. The bridge 80 a notifies the subscriber 20 that the call hasbeen set up by playing a unique confirmation sound file or othersuitable message.

[0057] The above method steps and message contents represent only anembodiment of the present invention and, it is to be understood, thatmethod steps order and message contents can vary based upon individualtelecommunication architects, protocols and signaling requirementswithout departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0058] d. Dialing out to participants of the Instant Group Call

[0059] In FIG. 3, operation of the conferencing system 10 of the presentinvention in dialing out to participants of the instant group conferencecall is set forth.

[0060] The following “numbers” identify the sequence flow of oneembodiment which is illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 3. This is themethod of the present invention by which participants are dialed for theinstant group conference call. These steps take place immediatelyfollowing step 9 in the sequence flow described above in section c. andillustrated in FIG. 2.

[0061] 10. The CACS 90 uses the Called Party Number (number dialed bythe subscriber, in this example, ##05) passed from the switch 30 a instep 3 above to determine that the subscriber 20 is initiating anInstant Group Call.

[0062] 11. The CACS 90 uses a combination of the Called Party Number andthe Calling Party Number to determine what phone numbers to dial to addparticipants based on the second string of input signals (i.e., “05” inthe example). It does this by querying a database 130 containing groupinformation such as group names, group numbers, and phone numbers ofgroup members for each subscriber. The Called and Calling numbers willform a key that resolves to a group of phone numbers. The Called numberrepresents the group to be dialed, whereas the Calling number representsthe subscriber. These two numbers together will uniquely resolve to aCall Group, which contains one or more participant phone numbers.

[0063] In FIG. 6, the database 130 is shown to service a number ofsubscribers. Each subscriber has their own storage or memory area in thedatabase 130 or an area relationally or associatively dedicated to thesubscriber. In FIG. 6, N subscribers are served. In one embodiment, itis the subscriber's phone number (Calling Party Number) that is used toaccess a given subscriber's stored information. The Called Party Numberis used to access which group. Hence, FIG. 6, in one embodiment, showsthe Call Group Code 610 which forms the second string of input signalsdialed in by the subscriber accesses the desired group as each group hasits own unique Call Group Code (or its own unique second string of inputsignals). As already discussed, the first string of input signalsreceived by the switch 30 a indicates that this is an instant groupconference call whereas it is the second string that provides theunique. Call Group Code 610. Hence, the Called and Calling Party Numbersform a key 650 that is used to retrieve from database 130 a given callgroup from a plurality of call groups 620 for a given subscriber from aplurality of subscribers 630. For example, and in FIG. 6, if Group 1 isselected, then the group has five participants (P1 through P5) and fivecorresponding phone numbers (PN1 through PN5). These then are the fiveparticipants for the conference call that the subscriber has requestedwith the unique call group code 610 (i.e., the second string of inputsignals). This is a list of participant phone numbers being requested.

[0064] 12. The database 130 passes a list of participant phone numbersto be dialed to the CACS 90.

[0065] 13. Via an Application Programming Interface (API), the CACS 90instructs the bridge 80 a over the data network 105 to commence dialingto the phone numbers in the Call Group. This API is a conventional“DialCall” API within the aforesaid MobileMeeting product. The API willbe enhanced to include a “who from” field that will contain the originalcalling party number (subscriber's phone number).

[0066] 14. The bridge 80 a then commences dialing to each of theparticipant phone numbers, connecting through the local servicing switch30 b, the Carrier's network 50 and possibly through the PSTN 60 to callall of the listed participants 40. As each phone number is dialed, theoriginal Calling Party Number will be placed in the Calling Party Numberfield of the signaling message so that the subscriber's phone numberwill be presented to the participant's phone 42.

[0067] The above method steps and message contents represent only anembodiment of the present invention and, it is to be understood, thatmethod steps order and message contents can vary based upon individualtelecommunication architects, protocols and signaling requirementswithout departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0068] e. Participants Join the Instant Group Call

[0069] In FIG. 4, operation of the conferencing system 10 of the presentinvention in participants joining the instant group conference call isset forth.

[0070] The following “numbers” identify the sequence flow of oneembodiment which is illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 4. This is themethod of the present invention by which participants join and are addedto the instant group conference call. These steps take place immediatelyfollowing step 14 in the sequence flow described above in section d. andillustrated in FIG. 3.

[0071] 15. Each participant's 40 phone 42 rings and if it has thecapability, it displays the original Calling Party Number (the phonenumber of the subscriber 20).

[0072] 16. The participant 40 answers the phone 42.

[0073] 17. When the phone is answered, the participant 40 is greetedwith an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) message played by the bridge 80a stating, for example: “You are being called to join an instant groupcall, please press 1 to join.” Optionally, if the subscriber 20 chose torecord a greeting, this recorded message is then played to eachparticipant in place of the previous IVR statement.

[0074] 18. Participants 40 who wish to join the call press 1 on theirphone 42.

[0075] 19. This instructs the bridge to place the participant 40 intothe conference call.

[0076] 20. The bridge 80 notifies the CACS 90 that the participant 40has joined the call.

[0077] 21. The bridge 80 notifies the participant 40 that they havejoined the call by playing a unique confirmation sound file.

[0078] The above method steps and message contents represent only anembodiment of the present invention and, it is to be understood, thatmethod steps order and message contents can vary based upon individualtelecommunication architects, protocols and signaling requirementswithout departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0079] f. Subscribers Add Call Group Information to the Database

[0080] In FIG. 5, operation of the conferencing system 10 of the presentinvention in adding call group information to the database 130 is setforth.

[0081] The following “numbers” identify the sequence flow of oneembodiment which is illustrated by the arrows in FIG. 5. This is themethod of the present invention by which subscribers add call groupinformation to the database. These steps take place prior to initiationof the first call to any new call group.

[0082] 1. The subscriber 20 picks up and/or turns on the Internet accessdevice 160.

[0083] 2. The subscriber 20 logs into the website for the address bookapplication via the public Internet 150.

[0084] 3. The WACS 110 presents the graphical user interface (GUI) onthe Internet access device 160

[0085] 4. The subscriber 20 enters the information for the call group(group name, group number, phone numbers of members) into the GUI andchooses to save the information to the database 130.

[0086] 5. The subscriber is able to build any number of groups 620, asshown in FIG. 6, allocated to his/her profile. This may be asubscription fee requirement. The LEC can choose how many groups toallow for each subscriber. The invention is vigorous in allowing aservice provider carrier's network 170 to design an instant groupconferencing service under the teachings contained herein for itssubscribers. In FIG. 6, the subscriber selects the Call Group Code andin another embodiment, the Call Group Codes are pre-selected. Forexample, a subscriber may set up the following call groups and inputthem into the database 130. For example, a subscriber selects the CallGroup Code “01” for the following group of participants: John (phonenumber), Patty (phone number), and Jim (phone number). The subscriberalso inputs the Call Group Code “21” for: Carol, Patty, Sandy, Jill, andBetty with their respective phone numbers. Hence, the subscriber in ourexample can dial “##21” and set up an instant group conference for thesubscriber, Carol, Patty, Sandy, Jill, and Betty. Under the teachings ofthe present invention, the subscriber can access the Internet 150through a suitable access device 160 and update the database in theconferencing system 100 at any time. Within the constraints of thesubscriber's profile, the subscriber can add as many groups, as manyparticipants to each group at any time and could also delete suchgroups. The subscriber has full interactive access with the database130.

[0087] It is to be expressly understood that in the aforesaid, while aninternet access device and the public internet are used as an example ofan access method to the GUI and the database, any other suitable deviceand network such as but not limited to a phone, a mobile handset, avoice enabled mobile computing device, the mobile internet, a virtualprivate network (VPN), the PSTN, or a mobile carrier's wireless datanetwork could be used as an alternate access method.

[0088] 3. Summary

[0089] The method of the present invention can be summarized in oneembodiment with respect to FIG. 7. The subscriber 20 dials 700 inhis/her phone set 22. The Called Party Number dialed consists of thefirst string and second string of input signals. These input signals arereceived 710 by the switch 30 a in the service provider carrier'snetwork 170. If the received input signal 710 does not have the firststring indicating an instant group conference call, stage 720 is enteredas this is another type of service. If the first string is detected instage 730, then a trigger in the switch 30 a is activated in stage 740which in the embodiment is the Dialed Number Trigger.

[0090] Through communication such as through SS7 network 70, this eventis conveyed to a conferencing system 100 which proceeds to set up aconference call for the subscriber 20 based upon the Called Party Numberand the Calling Party Number (i.e., the subscriber's phone number) as akey 650. This occurs in stage 750 in FIG. 7. The conferencing system 100selects an available bridge 80 in stage 750 based upon the profile ofthe subscriber. The selection of the bridge and the profile setting anddetermination are conventional. The subscriber phone 22 is routed 760 tothe selected bridge for the conference which occurs in stage 770. Theconferencing system 100 obtains 780 a group of phone numbers for theparticipants from the database 130 based upon at least the second stringof the Called Party Number. In stage 790, the conferencing system 100calls each participant and connects 790 the participant to theconference 770. FIG. 7 presents the method of the present inventiongenerally as it operates in the service provider carrier's network 170and conferencing system 100 in the telecommunications system shown inFIG. 1.

[0091] In FIG. 8, the method for a subscriber 20 to utilize thereservation-less instant group conferencing method of the presentinvention is set forth. The subscriber 20 subscribes 800 with theservice provider's carrier's network 170 for the reservation-lessinstant group conferencing service. In this subscription process, allnecessary information to service the subscriber 20 with respect toconferencing profile information is obtained. The network 170 is alreadyprogrammed to switch 30 a to respond to the conference code (i.e., thefirst string). LECs using the methods of the present invention willprogram their switches in advance of offering the service. This occursin stage 810. The subscriber 22 can then access the database 130 overthe public Internet 150 through any suitable access device 160 in stage820. This can occur at any time for any number of times so that thesubscriber 22 can generate any number of call groups (as allowed by thesubscription) and as many participants to each call group (as allowed bythe subscription). All such information in stage 830 is input and storedin the database 130. After a particular call group is stored with aparticular call group code, the subscriber 20 can then dial in stage 840the conference code and the call group code and as set forth in FIG. 7,the conference call is set up in stage 850. Conferencing system 100accesses the database 130 for the call group information correspondingto the dialed-in call group code.

[0092] The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of thepresent invention. Those skilled in this art will however appreciatethat other arrangements or embodiments, not precisely set forth, couldbe practiced under the teachings of the present invention and that thescope of this invention should only be limited by the scope of thefollowing claims.

We claim:
 1. A conferencing method for providing a conference call for asubscriber in a telecommunications system comprising: receiving inputsignals, in a switch servicing a phone of the subscriber, from the phoneof the subscriber when the subscriber requests the conference call;activating a trigger in the switch that the received input signals arerequesting the conference call based on a first string of the receivedinput signals; setting up the conference call in a conferencing bridgein response to the activated trigger; routing the phone of thesubscriber to the conference call in the conferencing bridge; obtaininga group of phone numbers of participants from a database, the group ofphone numbers at least identified by a second string of the receivedinput signals; calling from the conferencing bridge each phone number ofa phone for each participant in the obtained group; connecting the phoneof each participant in the conference call in the conferencing bridgewhen answered in response to calling.
 2. The method of claim 1 whereinthe input signals are a dual-tone multifrequency (DTMF) series of keyinputs.
 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first string of the inputsignals starts with a “#” (pound) key input followed by at least oneadditional key input signal.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondstring of signals corresponds to one of a plurality of groups for thesubscriber in the database, each of said plurality of groupscorresponding to a different group of phone numbers of participants. 5.The method of claim 1 wherein setting up the conference call comprises:sending a message from the switch to a conferencing system that thesubscriber is initiating the conference call, the message including atleast the second string; determining a conference profile for thesubscriber; selecting the conferencing bridge for the conference callbased on the obtained conference profile.
 6. The method of claim 5wherein the message further contains a phone number of phone of thesubscriber.
 7. The method of claim 5 further comprising: validating thesubscriber to verify that the subscriber is allowed to make theconference call.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein the trigger is adialed number trigger in the switch.
 9. The method of claim 1 whereinobtaining the group of phone numbers further comprises: using the phonenumber of the subscriber with the second string of input signals toobtain the group of numbers.
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein obtainingthe group of phone numbers further comprises: using the phone number ofthe subscriber with the second string of input signals to obtain thegroup of numbers.
 11. The method of claim 1 wherein calling each phonenumber of each participant further comprises: presenting the phonenumber of the subscriber to the phone of each participant as eachparticipant is called so that the said each participant is notified thatthe subscriber is calling.
 12. The method of claim 1 wherein callingeach phone number of each participant further comprises: playing a voicemessage to said each participant when each said participant answers theaforesaid phone, the message informing each said participant of theconference call; receiving at least one input signal from the phone ofeach said participant to join the conference call.
 13. A conferencingmethod for providing a conference call for a subscriber in atelecommunications system comprising: receiving input signals, in aswitch servicing a phone of the subscriber, from the phone of thesubscriber when the subscriber requests the conference call, the phoneof the subscriber having a phone number; sending a message from theswitch to a conferencing system in response to receiving the inputsignals; setting up the conference call in a bridge in the conferencingsystem in response to sending the message; routing the phone of thesubscriber to the conference call in the bridge; obtaining a group ofphone numbers of participants from a database containing at least onegroup, the group identified by the received input signals and the phonenumber of the subscriber; calling from the conferencing system eachphone number corresponding to a phone for each participant in theobtained group; connecting the phone of each participant called to thebridge when answered in response to calling.
 14. The method of claim 13wherein the input signals comprise a first string of the input signalsstarts with a “#” (pound) key input followed by at least one additionalkey input signal.
 15. The method of claim 13 wherein the input signalscomprise a second string of signals corresponding to the at least onegroup for the subscriber in the database, each said at least one groupcorresponding to a different group of phone numbers of participants. 16.The method of claim 13 further comprising: validating the subscriber toverify that the subscriber is allowed to make the conference call. 17.The method of claim 13 wherein calling each phone number of eachparticipant further comprises: presenting the phone number of thesubscriber to the phone of each participant as each participant iscalled so that the said each participant is notified that the subscriberis calling.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein calling each phone numberof each participant further comprises: playing a voice message to saideach participant when each said participant answers the aforesaid phone,the message informing each said participant of the conference call;receiving at least one input signal from the phone of each saidparticipant to join the conference call.
 19. A conferencing method forproviding a conference call for a subscriber in a telecommunicationssystem comprising: receiving input signals from a phone in thetelecommunications system when the subscriber requests the conferencecall; setting up the conference call for the subscriber in a bridge in aconferencing system in the telecommunications system in response toreceiving the input signals; routing the phone of the subscriber to theconference call in the bridge; obtaining a group of phone numbers ofparticipants from a database containing at least one group, the group atleast identified by the received input signals; calling from theconferencing system each phone number corresponding to a phone for eachparticipant in the obtained group; connecting the phone of eachparticipant called to the bridge when answered in response to callingfrom the conferencing system.
 20. The method of claim 19 furthercomprising: enabling the subscriber to provide the database with newsecond strings and with information for new groups corresponding to thenew second strings, the information containing at least the phonenumbers of participants in the new groups.
 21. A conferencing method forproviding a conference call for a subscriber in a telecommunicationssystem comprising: enabling the subscriber, in a network in thetelecommunications system, to subscribe to the conferencing method, thenetwork servicing a phone of the subscriber; assigning a conference codefor the phone of the subscriber after the subscriber subscribes;providing the subscriber with Internet access to a database in aconferencing system in the telecommunications system after thesubscriber subscribes; storing in the database information for at leastone call group of participants for the subscriber in response toproviding the subscriber access, the stored information based at leaston a phone number of the phone of the subscriber, the information foreach at least one call group including at least a unique call group codeand phone numbers of each participant; dialing the conference code andthe unique call group code in the phone of the subscriber when thesubscriber places the conference call to the call group corresponding tothe unique call group code after storing the database information;setting up the conference call in the conferencing system in response todialing the conference code by (1) routing the phone of the subscriberto the conferencing system and (2) calling each phone number of eachparticipant in the aforesaid call group in response to dialing theunique call group code.